Sunday service times

Each of our team churches meets for Christian worship on Sunday mornings. 

St Ninian's and St Andrew's on Chanterlands Avenue, Hull, gathers at 9.30a.m.

Zion URC on Hallgate in Cottingham, meets at 10.00a.m.

Christ Church on Main Street in Swanland meets at 10.30a.m. 

Worship in these churches is broadly traditional in style, our teaching draws on the liberal tradition. 

Just a thought 

Just a thought “Rivers do not drink their own water; trees do not eat their own fruit; the sun doesn't shine on itself and flowers do not shed their fragrance for themselves, Living for others is a rule of nature. We are born to help each other. No matter how difficult it is . . . Life is good when you are happy, but much better when others are happy because of you.” 

 His Holiness Pope Francis (1936 - 2025)

Learn a new word

This month's word is cancatervate (verb). The word means to pile items up into a heap. Example: When you see a messy pile of things, you can now scold someone with, "Please tidy up properly - don’t just cancatervate everything!"

A lay preacher ponders 40 days with the risen Christ In our calendar Easter was late this year, so in 2025 Ascension Day falls on 29th May – exactly 40 days after Easter Day. In our worship, we tend to celebrate the ascension of Jesus on the following Sunday (1st June '25). In the gospels, this post-Easter period covers the 40 days during which the Risen Christ appeared on many occasions to His disciples, following His death and resurrection. (Matthew 28, Mark 16, Luke 24 and John 20). 

 The gospels give us little of Christ's teachings and deeds during those 40 days. He was, however, seen by many of His disciples: on the Emmaus road, by the Sea of Galilee, in various houses etc. He strengthened and encouraged His disciples and at last opened their eyes to all that the scriptures had promised about the Messiah. Jesus also told them that as the Father had sent Him, He now was going to send them to all the corners of the earth as His witnesses. 

 Perhaps the most tender and moving 'farewell' in history took place on Ascension Day. Luke records the story with great poignancy; “Then He led them out of the city as far as Bethany, where He raised His hands and blessed them,” (Lk.24: v.50). 

 As Christmas began the story of Jesus' earthly life, so Ascension Day completes it with His return to His Father in heaven. Jesus' last act on earth was to bless His disciples. He and they had a bond as close as could be: they had just lived through three tumultuous years of public ministry and miracles, persecution, death and resurrection! Just as we part from our nearest and dearest by still looking at them with love and memories in our eyes, so did Jesus. He was not forsaking them, but merely going on ahead to a kingdom that would also be theirs one day: “I am ascending to my Father and to your Father, to my God and your God,” (John 20: v.17). 

 The disciples can be thought of as the most favoured folk in history. Imagine being amongst the last few people on earth to be face-to-face with Jesus and have Him look on you with love. It's interesting that Luke adds the post script: “they worshipped Him and went back to Jerusalem filled with great joy and spent their time in the Temple praising God,” (Luke 24: v.52-53). 

 No wonder they praised God! They knew they would see Jesus again one day. “I am going to prepare a place for you . . I will come back and take you to be with me,” (John 14: v.3). In the meantime, Jesus had work for them (and us) to do: to take the gospel to every nation on earth. 

 Mary Young